When considering a power module, it is important to view it in light of an alternate discrete implementation, where a complete design is needed. There are several variables during this process that need to be considered. With a discrete solution, there are a lot of components to manage, including: procurement, second sourcing, and making sure the optimum components are selected. Discrete solutions occupy considerable real estate; a POL solution is very dense, offering a 50% reduction in space compared to discrete solutions and commodity point-of-load products. Design support is another advantage when incorporating OmniOn Power POL modules. While a designer may receive support from IC or magnetics vendors, their field application engineers offer total solution support. There is a myth that a discrete design can easily be used across different applications and different boards. The reality is that every design needs to be modified and verified, so the ability to take a product and easily scale it up or down or use across different platforms really does not pan out. POL modules are designed to be part of a palette, part of a standard footprint solution that makes it very easy to use these solutions across many different platforms and many different applications. Production Control is another consideration. A failure of a discrete solution usually results in scrapping a very expensive board. A point-of-load module is easy to replace and the failure rate is very low. OmniOn Power point-of-load modules are designed to be both standard, as in “applicable to many customers globally”, and very optimizable and configurable. This allows them to be used very easily and customized to a particular application. Discrete solutions offer very low component cost. However, considering that POL modules offer a significant advantage, both in reducing the cost and duration of development as well as increasing reliability, POL modules offer the lowest overall cost of ownership. Additionally, reliability and re-spin are a significant point of risk for discrete solutions. OmniOn Power POL modules are designed to sell in the millions, and therefore demonstrate very robust designs.